IN Ross Township Winter 2018 | Page 45

from nominations from peers and staff members. This year, students from Hands for Service, National Honor Society, SADD and Student Council will be assisting Mrs. Mikula to make the program even larger with more recognition for kind acts and a more centrally located Kindness Chain (created from nomination slips) in the high school cafeteria. At the middle school, students were introduced to the program during grade- level meetings and learned more about how to achieve the program’s goals during classroom lessons with school counselors. The district also be using the Say Something program, also from Sandy Hook Promise. Say Something is an education and awareness program that provides tools and practices to recognize the signs and signals of a potential threat – especially in social media, teaches and instills in participants how to take action and drive awareness and reinforces the need to “Say Something.” Over the last 25 years, research has revealed that in seven out of 10 acts of gun violence, a friend(s) were told that an act of violence would be committed or may take place. In one study, it was reported that in four out of five school shootings, the attacker had told people of his plans ahead of time. For more information on our Sandy Hook Promise programs, visit our informative page under Parents – School Safety. ROSS TOWNSHIP ❘ WINTER 2018 43